getting better with the cobras

[ausfire]

Threaded rod works well for cobras. I'm getting better at shaping the hood and the threaded rod gives a good texture. I find that hammering the hood is best done from the underside onto a piece of copper on the anvil. In that way some thread is maintained across the back of the hood giving a scale effect (Pic 3). Hammering direct on the anvil loses that. One is 10mm and the other 12mm rod. I sell a lot of these for paper weights.

 

[(M)]

Very nice! I hope to try some cobras or regular snakes sometime with a 15ft piece of threaded rod i found on the side of the road.

[Daswulf]

Those look great Aus. 

Not only paper weights but paper protectors.

[MotoMike]

Aus those are beautiful.  they have a natural flow to them seem almost real.  well done. 

 

Mike

[Tommie Hockett]

Those look awesome. If I had a desk I would definetly use one 

[SpankySmith]

Okay, now I gotta go try that.  Those are wonderful, I love the backs of the heads - perfect!

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

When you do the next one, can you do some step by step pictures and tools used?

[Frosty]

Nice Cobras Aus. I didn't know they wore such nice threads.  

They make a person think of variations and possible uses, then Das says he'd like one on his desk so off my thinker goes on that trail. It has me thinking of a desk lamp with the hood as the reflector.  Hiding the wire would be the trick. Gotta do some more thinking. 

A large one, say 6' - 8' tall holding a "Keep Out," sign in it's fangs might be pretty effective. Hmmm? Ooh ooh! a 4' er on a turn table next to your desk so if someone annoying is bothering you you can turn it to look at them. Glowing golden eyes for the hot glare. Hmmm?

Oh, this is going to be fun thinking. I have a lot of grade rake work to get things cleaned up after getting the power cable run to the shop and clearing a spot for Deb to park her RV. It has to be level and it's going to take some shoveling and raking. No biggy, just sweating in the sun. Thinking is a good past time for grunt work.

Frosty The Lucky.

[ausfire]

Thanks all.

(M) I assume you are going to cut that piece into usable lengths. That would be one monster cobra at 15ft. The body would have to be about 3 inches diameter to maintain proportion. Hope you have a power hammer!

Das: Yes! Hands off my papers!

Moto: The natural flow comes after a bit of experimentation. Some of the earlier ones I made didn't quite have that.

Tommie: They look good on desks, but other places too. I have one sitting on the woodstove. He doesn't care about the heat.

Susan: Let us know how you get on if you do try them. You need something softer than the hard face of the anvil to get the backs of the heads looking right.

Big Gun: Yes, I could do step by step pics, but it's really nothing special. Threaded rod (gal removed), upset the end and shape the head using a ball peen hammer. A bit like forging a leaf. The coil is a tricky bit. I'll think about those pics.

Frosty: Creative thinking there!. The possibilities are endless!

[MC Hammer]

Wow, those look great.  Don't forget, you can use a raw hide or wooden mallet to hammer it and it won't disturb the thread pattern.  Works great for adjusting twisted metal too.

[Cincinnatus]

Nice cobras - the all-thread creates an impressive pattern.

[anvil]

Nice! And a good use for all thread. 

I've made snakes from farriers rasps, but never thought of all thread. That solves the size problem nicely!

 

 

[ausfire]

On ‎9‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 10:53 PM, MC Hammer said:

  Don't forget, you can use a raw hide or wooden mallet to hammer it and it won't disturb the thread pattern.

I don't mind a bit of disturbance on the thread pattern of the body of the cobra. In fact I think the next one I do I will flatten the thread rings a bit over the entire length. That gives very realistic scales.

The part that is hard to keep a scale pattern is the back of the hood, and that's why I use the copper saddle on the anvil. A wooden mallet or rawhide would not have the accuracy or the  rigidity to spread the hood metal. I forged one today and tried using a piece of hardwood on the anvil. Not successful. Couldn't see a thing for the smoke and flames, so I ditched that idea. A lead block might work but the fumes may be dodgy. So I'll stay with the copper until a better method presents itself.

[MC Hammer]

Correct on the ability to spread.  I only use my wood or rawhide mallet to move the hot metal.  I was thinking more of the body of the cobra.  You could adjust that pretty easily with a rawhide mallet.  

[ausfire]

Yes, I have used the mallet on occasions to tighten the curls in the body. Works well.

[templehound]

They are beautiful!

[Frosty]

Flattening the body will make a more natural snake. Snakes are not cylindrical for most of their length but it can change depending on what they're doing.

Frosty The Lucky.

[ausfire]

16 hours ago, Frosty said:

Flattening the body will make a more natural snake. Snakes are not cylindrical for most of their length but it can change depending on what they're doing.

Frosty The Lucky.

Yes. I might forge one tomorrow with a flattened body. Well, at least with the threads forged down to give more realistic scales. I'll wait till after demo time - wouldn't be much of a demo flattening threaded rod! Pictures pending.

[ausfire]

OK, here's today's cobra with the threaded rod flattened out before forging the snake. Not  a big difference but the threaded rod is less obvious.

[Daswulf]

More time consuming I'm sure, but comparing the two I like the flattened threads more. 

[tkunkel]

Nice work, Aus.  Very lifelike, too lifelike for my wife I think!;)  She would not want this anywhere inside or outside of our house.  We don't have cobras but we get the occasional rattlesnake...

[ausfire]

Yeah, my wife is not too thrilled about them either. She tolerates the cobras but is happy to see them sold in our souvenir shop. She has not been happy with snakes since a brown tree snake (night tiger) swallowed a bunch of her newly hatched guinea fowl chicks some years back.

And Das, I think I'll continue flattening the scales a bit, even though it's more time consuming.

[Frosty]

Ooh that did turn out nice!  (Frosty says while brushing dust off his good idea medal )

I'll bet twisting or forging the flat out of level in the curves will give the snake more sense of movement. Gotta love a nice organic steel snake you know.

I wonder how long lamp rod comes?

Frosty The Lucky.